The Guardian Knight of Affection-Starved Young Ladies

105 – A Long-Held Wish (02)

106.

He released all the restraints holding those captured.

It wasn’t that he trusted them, but it was necessary to execute the plan Calen had roughly conceived.

Of course, it was feasible only because he was confident he could win even if they all attacked him at once.

And so, Calen returned to where Raris and Belbit were.

Since Raris hadn’t been shouting or anything, he didn’t rush.

“Nadil, hyung…”

Just as Raris and Belbit came into view.

Bellen beside him murmured.

When Calen looked at Nadil at that murmur, he could understand Bellen’s reaction.

Calen hadn’t known that they had such a past when he was suppressing Nadil.

He had noticed something awkward, but that wasn’t a reason to leave Nadil be.

He was suppressed, and with the ice spear even floating above him.

It wasn’t unreasonable for Bellen and the others to be surprised.

“Young lady.”

“Ah, Calen…!”

When Calen called out to Raris, who had been talking with Belbit, Raris turned and beamed.

Then, she and Belbit hurried over to Calen.

“These people…”

“These are the ones we caught earlier,” someone said.

“Oh… so many…”

Laris seemed surprised by the number.

Not exactly a horde, but this many was a scale that would surprise even them.

Even Nadil, who was directly ordered by Flavier, had been surprised.

But Kallen, unconcerned, flicked his gaze towards Nadil.

“They were well-behaved, I see.”

“Ah, yes. They answered all my questions well.”

“That’s fortunate.”

“Th-then, now…”

Laris, stealing a glance at Kallen’s slight smile, hesitated and moved her hand behind her back.

Fingers fidgeting behind her back, only her mother, Belbit, could see.

“S-should I tell you…?”

“…Yes. Please tell me.”

For a moment, Kallen almost asked what she was talking about, but thankfully he remembered before saying the words.

Before Kallen had left to deal with the remaining assassins, he had told Laris that he would listen to the situation.

He had been able to remember after seeing Laris’ expectant expression.

Kallen nodded and spoke.

Laris, smiling at Kallen’s answer, cleared her throat.

“First… these men are indeed from the Lyle Trading Company. And Flavier Lyle’s orders were to assassinate us.”

“Does that include me?”

“Yes. I told you the Lyle Trading Company was monitoring all my movements, right? Since I brought you here, Kallen, you’re probably caught up in it. I’m… sorry.”

“It’s alright.”

“That’s the basic gist, and the rest gets a bit deeper. They’re orphans raised by Flavier Lyle and…”

Everything Laris spoke of was already known to Kallen.

If he had simply brought back the remaining assassins, maybe not, but Kallen had already heard the entire story from Beln.

But watching her speak so earnestly with her small mouth, Kallen didn’t want to let Laris down.

He didn’t quite understand what was so gratifying about explaining the facts.

Perhaps she was just proud of conveying what she herself had discovered.

Listening was something Kallen was good at.

Kalen, who had been listening quietly to Laris, nodded only after she had finished speaking.

“Thank you, my lady.”

“…It wasn’t much. Rather, thank you for protecting me, Kalen.”

“Yes. I’m relieved that you are safe too, madam.”

“Thank you for your concern.”

Having checked on Velvet, Kalen slowly approached Nadil.

As he removed the ice spears that had been lodged in his shoulders and back, Nadil flinched.

“You can move now.”

“Ugh… Belrn… You guys…”

Having been granted permission by Kalen, Nadil stood and turned to look behind him, seeming to have found Belrn and the other children.

His gaze was pitiful, probably thinking he had been captured by Kalen.

The growth of misunderstandings was just a tiresome thing.

Thankfully, Belrn, having read Kalen’s expression, was about to state the truth, but.

Nadil’s movement was faster.

*Thud.*

It wasn’t a loud sound, but still loud enough to cause a shock.

The source of the sound was, without a doubt, Nadil.

Nadil had abruptly knelt.

“…Please, spare my siblings. Please, let it be just me…”

“…”

Kalen sighed in a whisper too quiet to be heard.

He already felt a headache coming on.

*

“…So. It seems we will probably end up fighting.”

“Is that so…”

On the way back to the Flache family.

The number of people had increased more than originally planned.

From the start, he hadn’t even intended to return to the family in the first place.

Velvet, Nadil, Belrn, and their group were all gathered together.

Kalen had cleared up Nadil’s misunderstanding.

Laris and Belvet, who were beside him, were also people he should have told even if they hadn’t needed to hear it.

Kallen pushed Nadel and the Beln group back, and told Laris and Belvet about what had happened in the alley.

The fact that he might go to the Platze family and fight with Plaver Lyle.

Still, Laris’s expression wasn’t so dark.

It was because she’d already considered the possibility of facing the Lyle Merchant Guild and the head of the Platze family.

Simply leaving would actually be a good thing for them.

The Lyle Merchant Guild wanted to erase the Belvet and Laris sisters from the family.

With the head of the Platze family tacitly agreeing to that, Laris disappearing of her own accord would be something they’d welcome.

But the problem is Belvet.

Just burying Belvet’s necklace is reason enough to fight with the Lyle Merchant Guild.

And in the midst of that, Belvet even came back alive, so even if it weren’t about Plaver’s ‘children’, they’d have to fight once they decided to return.

What Laris is worried about is only one thing.

Kallen’s safety.

It might be a relief to take revenge on the man who was her father.

But separate from that, the head of the Platze family is a strong person.

The power of the Lyle Merchant Guild cannot be ignored either.

She was surprised, of course.

Because Laris didn’t know Kallen was so good at fighting.

Kallen facing Nadel was truly overwhelming.

It was completely different from what happened at Latia Falls.

There weren’t any beings that could be called ‘enemies’ there.

The dangerous nature of the falls was the problem, and now it was the being who she knew to be her mother that posed a threat.

This is the first time she’s seen Kallen fight.

And Laris’s impression of Kallen fighting was… amazing.

Laris thinks it’s not just her feeling.

Anyone who saw Kallen fight would think it was amazing.

So her anxiety was much better.

But even so, the Lyle Merchant Guild and the head of the Platze family are clearly beings on a different level.

The heads of the five great families, or more accurately the four excluding Shinat, are all holders of tremendous power.

The grand mages who supported the empire in the past were 6th circle.

The heads of the current Houses are skilled, nearing the 5th Rank.

Though the heads of Plache and Hiat are exceptions, they wield ancient relic swords at an expert level or better.

Add to that the Lyle Merchant Guild, a numerically dense force, it’s natural to think there’s no hope.

And yet, why?

Logically, I know it’s an improbable task.

It’s true, I’m anxious that Kalen could get seriously hurt.

But more than that, I can’t quite imagine Kalen being in danger.

Laris recalled the incident at the waterfall.

His attitude of course it’s possible, the sight of the boy actually doing it.

At the very least, he wouldn’t be without a countermeasure.

A rather positive one, at that.

“…I believe.”

And so, Laris dismissed her doubts.

Being anxious now is just like cursing herself for being with Kalen.

Laris would make sure Kalen wouldn’t waver.

She smiled, a face free of worry.

“Kalen is my guard, so he’ll protect me. Right?”

“Yes.”

Velvet, watching them, couldn’t help but smile too.

*

The operation Kalen had in mind.

The reason why Nadil and Beln’s bindings had to be loosened was simple.

They had to act like they were captured.

Flaber Lyle had already sensed Laris’s thoughts and sent assassins.

From that moment, negotiation was impossible.

So Kalen discarded the idea of meeting the Plache head, showing Velvet, and peacefully escaping the House.

If they were going to fight anyway, there was no more effective attack than lulling the enemy into complacency.

For complacency, they needed to act like they’d been captured.

Nadil and Beln would bring Kalen and Laris to Flaber, and the moment Beln stabbed Flaber with his ice spear.

They would break free from their loosened bindings and launch a surprise attack.

The justification for attacking the five families is ample.

Kalen felt a little ashamed to say it himself, but probably three of the five families would side with him.

Besides, that “education” of Flaber’s.

According to Nadil and Beln, it’s outright torture.

The Empire wouldn’t stand by while children were being abused like that.

So, he just had to avoid killing them.

Just subdue them enough to get out of the family’s house in one piece.

His Master’s constraint was lifted, too.

The caution to lay low until reaching the 5th Circle.

To Kalen, Blamia’s words were close to the truth.

The justification, and the element of surprise, were on his side.

Just before reaching the mansion, Kalen loosely bound himself with Laris.

“Kalen… this is…”

“My spirit.”

Belvet was the exception.

Taking Belvet from the start would ruin the plan.

Even if Flaber Lyle didn’t, there was no way the head of the Platche family wouldn’t recognize her.

Having captured Laris, the family head would naturally come.

Kalen called Felicia and Tiasse to guide Belvet.

“Hide in a safe place, and bring her to me when I signal, okay?”

“Okay.”

“Yes. Understood.”

Kalen also needed to have his spirit summoned to break through 4th Circle power.

4th Circle contract attribute magic.

From that, the true power of the heart.

That was impossible without Felicia and Tiasse.

Since Laris and Belvet couldn’t understand the spirit’s words, Kalen only relayed the essentials to Felicia and Tiasse.

They would have a chance to talk in more depth after this was over.

Having completed all preparations, Kalen turned to look at Beln one last time.

“If what you said is a lie, be prepared. I mean it.”

“…Yes.”

I won’t kill them, but I have no intention of letting them go unscathed.

That is, if Belen’s words are a lie, and this is all a plan she hatched with Flaber.

Having made his final confirmation, Kalen looked at Laris.

“Have you thought of what you’ll say to your father?”

“…”

Laris seemed slightly taken aback by the question, but then she gave a soft smile and nodded.

“Yes. Thanks to you.”

“Then, shall we go?”

At Flache’s mansion, a boy and a girl were brought in as prisoners.